Local Government from Thatcher to Blair: The Politics of Creative Autonomy

Preface and Acknowledgements.

List of Abbreviations.

Introduction.

Part I: The Context of UK Local Government.

Chapter 1: The Evolution of Local Government in the UK.

Chapter 2: Theories of Local Government and Local Governance.

Chapter 3: British Local Government since 1979: Two Decades of Change.

Part II: Local Government from Thatcher to Major: Three Dimensions of Change.

Chapter 4 The Financing of Local Government.

Chapter 5: The Changing Structure and Shape of Local Government.

Chapter 6: Local Government and the Private Sector.

Part III: Local Government Reinvents Itself?.

Chapter 7: Local Elections, Political Realignment and Change in Local Authorities.

Chapter 8: Getting Their Own Houses in Order: New Directions in Local Government Internal Organization.

Chapter 9: Global Problems, Local Solutions: Government and Sustainable Development.

Chapter 10: The Europeanization of British Local Government?.

Part IV: Sub-national Government under New Labour.

Chapter 11: Towards Regional Government? The Introduction of Regional Offices, the Moves towards Devolution and the Notion of Regionalism.

Chapter 12: Local Government under New Labour.

Conclusion.

Notes.

References.

Index.